2 2 5
by beauregard.hadley
Summary: Adams meets Thirteen. Oh and House is there too!
1. Chapter 1

**(AN: Been a while since I felt like anything I wrote was post worthy. Even this involved a good friend and inspiration pushing me to post it. Special thanks to my pal (You know who you are) who never ceases to encourage, give me confidence and push me to keep churning stuff out. I couldn't do any of this without you.)**

"… _just one more."_

It was the last thing Jessica could remember saying. The rest of the night wasn't forgotten, it was very much in her memory. She remembered House calling her, telling her to show up at the local watering hole. It began to play back in her mind, almost like she was watching it from outside of her own body. Walking in expecting to meet with House only to see him there chatting up a woman at the bar. Typical House – he'd just wanted to rub her nose in it, remind her how single she was.

What she hadn't expected was when the woman turned around, she would be familiar. Their interaction was brief at best but Jessica Adams had met Remy Hadley before. Seeing Remy again brought up all kinds of questions – what happened to her girlfriend? What was she doing here with House? Why did House want - too many questions – that was always her problem and he took great joy in reminding her of that. The desire not to be wrong, the desire to actually prove her worth to him had kept her driving towards a goal that she couldn't even define or explain.

"_You two have met before. Several times in my dreams too but that involved any number of toys and massage oils."_

His voice sounded extra gravely tonight, either he'd already been hitting it hard or his pills were dehydrating him again. The looks Adams gave him was almost a running joke between them. Part laugh, part scowl but altogether sincere – eyebrow perked slowly as she locked eyes with him checking to see if he was serious. The glare he sent back her way confirmed that he indeed intended for them to spend time together. It was only when she heard the raspy female voice that she turned her attention away from him.

"_I hear his face is like a painting, the more you stare at it, the more you see. Assuming of course, you're going to put down the pretty little designer bag and drink with us. Did I mention looking at him for prolonged periods of time requires drinking?"_

Just like that – every inhibition she had was gone. The questions about what he'd think or say had all vanished and it was just the three of them. Three vodka cranberries later and any semblance of the person she was when she walked in had vanished. She didn't even notice that Hadley's hand had found its way to her thigh, resting casually there as if it happened all the time. No longer were they facing the bar, she'd turned to face her – finding herself lost in the conversation.

Everything got covered – even the time she and House got taken hostage by a crazy guy or the time House had 'fired' her. By the time vodka cranberry number four was meeting its end, Jessica noticed that House had resigned himself to watching as he piled up the drinks on his tab. When she stood up, she had every intention of thanking Remy for the conversation and making her way outside to get a cab. The thing about plans is that they easily changed and in this case, they changed in the form of Remy walking up behind her, fingers grazing the exposed skin on her forearm.

"_Staying with House – my ex isn't exactly welcoming me at her place. You should come."_

She should have done a lot of things – she should have asked Chase out sooner. She should have realized that his denial was just another part of a game that House made them all play. She should have said that she'd had too much to drink and needed to go home so she wouldn't miss her volunteer shift the following morning. She didn't do any of that – instead she offered only a nod as Remy gestured for her to enter the cab that House was hobbling into.

"_Now I do have some House rules. I run a topless establishment and I expect you two will abide by the house rules."_

Despite feeling the heavy buzz she was carrying with her, even Adams could tell that House was getting drunk if that was the best he could do. A random glance to make sure she had her purse yielded the interesting result of that hand on her thigh again. Almost on cue, they both rolled their eyes at him, much to his drunken delight as he mumbled out what could have been a laugh or a sarcastic comment. When the cab pulled up to his building and they both slid out, she knew she'd be stuck with paying the fare, which she did with a smile and casually ignored hiccup.

Up the stairs and into the apartment they went and before he could even get off another comment about their implied hookup, he sunk into the couch unceremoniously. They both stood in silence as he dug in the couch cushions to produce the hidden bottle which he promptly opened and emptied onto his tongue. The tug at her wrist didn't register until she turned and saw Remy walking down the hallway – obviously she'd been here before. Nudging open the guest room door, they were greeted by an unmade bed that a minimum looked like it had clean sheets.

"_Don't freak out. He's taken more than that and been fine."_

Before she could even reply, she felt the hand on her shoulder push her onto the bed. Jessica shifted with nervous anticipation as the thoughts began to fill her mind once more. This wasn't what she'd come here for, she wasn't into girls, House had just set her up. Before she could settle on a preferred theory, she felt Remy tugging the boots from her feet and setting aside before crawling in bed next to her to join her in staring at the ceiling. Jessica decided it was time to try and take some sort of control back.

"_I'm sorry things didn't work out with your girlfriend. Things didn't work out with my husband either – I think people ju—"_

The kiss silenced her long enough for her to settle on her back as she watched the smaller girl move to settle her body upon hers. It was nothing like she expected, there was no sensation of impending pleasure or excitement. Remy Hadley was undeniably beautiful but Jessica didn't like girls nor did she have any intention of giving House something he could use against her later. Another kiss brought her back to earth and before she could consider a reaction, she was kissing her back. The moment was if nothing else, quiet. Quiet until House mumbled his approval from the doorway.

"_Hot – but I imagined you'd be naked by now."_


	2. Chapter 2

**(AN - And we're back. Had to take it down to make some minor edits. Thanks to my best friend for putting up with me through it all and helping me press on. Here's part two of something I plan on continuing. )**

Ten thirty. It was already ten thirty and Jessica Adams hadn't even started to consider waking up. Last night hadn't gone to plan – assuming the plan was to finally get some one on one time with the reason she had a job – House. Instead, House had easily guided her into an encounter with Remy Hadley that she'd done little to protest. Feelings being what they were, Jessica wasn't exactly sure what to think of the woman that was asleep against her, soft breaths falling upon the exposed skin of her neck.

"Shit."

Perhaps it was a declaration of the situation or the quality of the decisions she had made leading up to this point. No matter the reason, it was the only thing she could think to say. Memories were coming and going, a flash here and there but mostly a drunken blur. It was time for damage control, time to get up and out, time for –

"Don't leave yet. We still need a money shot."

House's unmistakable voice took her attention and she turned to find him sitting in a chair next to the bed. Her eyes narrowed as she prepared to shoot back an equally snarky comment but those efforts were put on hold when she directed her attention to the woman asleep beside her. Only then did it seem odd that despite the conversation she was having with House and the stirring she'd done – Remy was still asleep. No words were needed as she looked at House and knew he could explain.

"Doctor Adams, you're up close and personal with an advanced stage of Huntington's. Sedation is the best option for now. Well, sedation and a night with your perfect ass."

Things like terminal illness didn't make good conversation so it wasn't a surprise Remy hadn't mentioned it to her. Given how evasive House was when it came to discussing her case in any detail, Jessica knew that the Huntington's was indeed real and not part of some plot to trick or test her. For once, it was the unusual circumstance of House not having a motive beyond doing the best he could. There was no deep meaning or lesson built into last night.

"I promised her I'd kill her… when it's time."

Doctors weren't supposed to kill people – at least not on purpose. Huntington's was an entirely different animal from most problems they diagnosed. A positive diagnosis was as good as a death sentence and the mere thought of being faced with that made her instinctively pull the sleeping woman closer for no reason other than comfort. The best diagnostician in the entire world had thrown in the towel – truly it was a lost cause.

"How long does she have?"

For the first time in the time she'd known House, she could see the faintest hint of emotion upon his face. Maybe it wasn't affection but it was certainly something beyond Remy being just another employee. Jessica knew better than to push, especially at a time like this. The next few minutes were spent with him describing the tests, the experimental trials and other remedies they had tried to provide Remy at least some level of comfort. In the end, all of the medicine in the world couldn't outdo getting drunk and getting laid.

The morning had gone from the shock of waking up next to another woman after they had very obviously been intimate with each other to complete sympathy for that same woman. According to House, it was a situation that Remy had found herself in not long ago. Jessica didn't know what to do – what could really be done while you were naked in a bed at your boss's house with another woman passed out against you? The time was spent staring straight up at the ceiling for several moments until she finally found the words.

"You wanted her to bring me here, didn't you? It was a setup."

The look he gave her was all the confirmation possibly needed and for all intents and purposes, she should have been furious. Despite the ruse and the methods used to conduct it, she didn't find herself the least bit angry at him. If the encounter provided Remy with some kind of temporary relief or release then perhaps it had served its purpose. For the first time in years, Jessica didn't find herself questioning the reasons or the methods - she just stood witness to the results.

"Dying is inevitable, Adams. You can't sleep with her every night till she dies – while I don't doubt your vagina has medicinal purposes, it isn't going to save her."

When she heard him resort to insults almost instantly, it confirmed what she had suspected earlier. There was far more going on here than House keeping a simple promise he had made to Remy. Finally making her move to sit up, she carefully eased Remy onto her back and used her free hand to keep the sheets pulled up to conceal her otherwise naked form. Sitting up gave her the perfect view of both House and Remy and it seemed like the right time to ask why he had gone forward with setting her up. As it turned out, the question wouldn't be necessary because like he usually did – he knew what she was thinking before she spoke.

"You're a known commodity. Setting this up was the logical way to make sure she could experience all of the fun with none of the risk. Getting you drunk was the means to the end and judging by the peek I snuck in while you were sleeping – what an end it is."

The embarrassment Jessica felt was short lived and while most people would have taken it as an offense, she felt differently. After the divorce, there had been little in the way of direction in her life. Leaving the prison to work with House was mostly a gamble that was taken because of his reputation. Nothing had worked out like she had hoped – Chase had found more interest in Park and as for House – well, House was never the objective. Perhaps that was why she moved to lay back down; turning on her side to closely examine Remy's sleeping form. All of the pain contained in her body didn't show on her face and Jessica couldn't explain why that was fascinating – it just was.

"Last night was fun and all but you are freaking me out with the staring."

The questions immediately flooded into her mind once again. There was so much to consider, so much to say off the bat. This couldn't be long term; this couldn't even be short term since it was just a onetime deal. For the second time in twenty four hours the gentle touch of Remy's lips upon hers put an end to her thought process. Only out of the corner of her eye did she see House stand and move to hobble out, closing the door behind as he exited. Left only with Remy there beside her, Jessica found herself blissfully lost in the moment, unaware and content with things proceeding however fate intended them to. It was only when Remy pulled away slowly and broke the silence that Jessica snapped out of her haze.

"I'm dying."


End file.
